Anyone every used a regular post card for a QSL card? I have a box, that I made a couple years ago, that are just sitting around. Plus I plan on testing for my Extra at the beginning of the year and I'll be applying for a new call sign at that time. So it seems like a plan to use these post cards until then. Any reason why not?

Sure Bill. Guys do it all the time. I have received hundreds of standard post cards and picture post cards over the years that were re-commissioned as QSL cards. Many have pictures of state or city landmarks, etc.

One note of caution. If you send them without an envelope, make sure all the vital QSO information is on the BACK of the card and leave room for postmark and other USPS info. The USPS today often puts barcode labels on the cards and that could interfere with info you need for the prized QSO.

Post cards are a colorful option for a QSL card. They were more common back in the days when full-color picture QSL cards were so very expensive. Rubber stamps with the standard report information were used on the left side of the post card back, leaving the right side open for the To / From address information. Usually the rubber stamps left enough open space below the report for a few personal comments to be written in.

To put your call sign on the front of the post card, consider the address return labels that are commonly found advertised in the coupon section of the Sunday paper. These labels are often available with black letters on a clear, see-through background. Put your call sign on the top line, followed by your name and city/state. The clear background allows you to stick them on the front of the post card without blocking the picture. Usually you can find a spot off to the side of the picture where the clear label can be placed without to much disruption to the scenic post card view. This gets your call sign and location on the front of the post card, where most folks expect to find it.

However, once you get your new call sign and are ready to purchase regular QSL cards - I recommend checking out UX5UO. The eham reviews on his QSL printing service by various customers are always top notch. I have seen a few examples, and for the price it is hard to justify going anyplace else for QSL cards. They are stunning, to say the least. You receive a full color picture QSL card for not much more than the standard "stock artwork" QSL card of other printers.

Bill, personally, I *love* getting QSLs that aren't the mass-produced ones. Ones that are different, offbeat, personal. Some of my favorite QSLs are ones someone drew by hand or wrote on another card.

I never bought cards until I got my extra, and even then I kept mostly using homebrew cards for a long time. I'd make 'em in Powerpoint, print them on cardstock, and cut them out by hand. I pretty much gave that up the last few years--just don't have TIME for it--but I've got a regular card I had printed by UX5UO, and then I've got others for various needs, including one for my mobile ops and one for my portable play--I had those done by Vistaprint, on their postcards. They're a bit taller than regular QSLs but the price is great and you can upload the finished design, so it's exactly what you want.

USE those postcards! I think most of us would rather have something unusual and fun than one of the mass produced ones. 73 and I hope to work you--and trade cards--soon! :-) --ken ac4rd

No reason at all why you couldn't use ordinary postcards, as long as it has all of the necessary QSO info on it. I have received cards in the past that are simply hombrew single-sided on printer paper. I homebrew all my cards. The template was done on a word processor, with 4 cards on a page. I take that to Kinko's and have them printed on card stock and cut to size. It runs about 5 1/2 cents each and you can have any sized batch you want.

I got a nice picture of the Wise County reservoir with the QSL information on the back from a hamin Wise County, VA, and it is very attractive and much appreciated. If yours are just blank post cards,they will still do.

I use Snapfish and Shutterfly for photohosting. They frequently send offers for 1 cent prints at order levels of 100 - 300 prints. So my plan is to take a color photo, use computer software for the typical info and start using these are the color QSL's. Most likely have to use a Sharpy type marker to write on the photo paper - still a good way to go color QSL

Thank you everyone. With your encouragement I'm gonna start sending out my postcards as QSL cards. For now all the information is hand written and personal. Plus I took the picture on the front so I like the card. We'll see how it goes.

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